Does anyone remember building AT form-factor PCs?

[VirtualLarry]

I remember snapping the plastic standoff pieces to the mobo, and then there were these hook-like plastic pieces that went along the far edge, and you would drop the mobo in and slide it into those hooks.

But what I don't remember is, was there a screw somewhere to fix the motherboard in there? I don't seem to remember.

I also remember having to wire up the front-panel switch to the four wires coming from the PSU. Those wires were "hot" AC wires, directly from the wall, so you had to be careful with them. I made the mistake (never repeated!) of leaving the PSU plugged into the wall, ostensibly to ground things, when I was wiring up the front-panel power switch. Well, somehow, I zapped myself. Good times. 🙁

And then there were those strange "P8/P9" PSU connectors from the PSU to the mobo. Two connectors, that plugged in next to each other. I just remember having to match the colors in the middle. I don't remember if they were black or red.

I also don't remember all of the voltages that those connectors carried. I don't think that +3.3v was brought to the mobo in those days. Probably just +5 and +12v. Maybe -5 and -12v too.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Oldtimersthread

 

[bononos]

There were a few screws along the edges.
I can't remember the 4 wire AC connector from the psu.
P8/P9 are next to each other as you said, not sure about the colours, you could try looking for pin1 and match it up to the coloured wire for both.
P8 has one wire position that is unused and there is no 3.3v like you said, just + and - 12v and 5v.

 

[Piano Man]

And the AT Power On/Off switch that clicked? I remember modding an old Gateway P5-60 (AT) tower to fit a PIII Mobo/cpu (ATX). It wasn't pretty, but it worked.

 

[bryanl]

The very first IBM PC/ATs and AT clones had no setup program in BIOS but required loading it from floppy. So we were under strict instructions to always have a setup floppy nearby, including one in an envelope taped inside each machine.

 

[WT]

AT ?? I still have one. I keep it hidden behind the furnace so my wife doesn't see it. PC Chips 726MRT board. Amazing that it still may even work !

 

[sandorski]

I built some, but don't recall anything of what you're talking about, lol.

 

[Smoblikat]

I remember snapping the plastic standoff pieces to the mobo, and then there were these hook-like plastic pieces that went along the far edge, and you would drop the mobo in and slide it into those hooks.

But what I don't remember is, was there a screw somewhere to fix the motherboard in there? I don't seem to remember.

I also remember having to wire up the front-panel switch to the four wires coming from the PSU. Those wires were "hot" AC wires, directly from the wall, so you had to be careful with them. I made the mistake (never repeated!) of leaving the PSU plugged into the wall, ostensibly to ground things, when I was wiring up the front-panel power switch. Well, somehow, I zapped myself. Good times. 🙁

And then there were those strange "P8/P9" PSU connectors from the PSU to the mobo. Two connectors, that plugged in next to each other. I just remember having to match the colors in the middle. I don't remember if they were black or red.

I also don't remember all of the voltages that those connectors carried. I don't think that +3.3v was brought to the mobo in those days. Probably just +5 and +12v. Maybe -5 and -12v too.

There was no 3.3, i beleive that was implenented when SATA became standard.

 

[mfenn]

There was no 3.3, i beleive that was implenented when SATA became standard.

3.3V has been around ever since ATX came out; long before SATA was a twinkle in anybody's eye.